The present invention relates to roll splitters and, more particularly, to roll splitters for splitting apart relatively large diameter rolls of paper that have been rewound on a common shaft such that adjacent edges of the rolls overlap.
Paper frequently is manufactured and in relatively wide, large diameter rolls, but purchasers of such rolls typically need paper strips narrower than the purchased roll. Consequently, manufacturers and purchasers use slitting machines which receive the paper from a large width roll and slit the paper into a plurality of strips. The strips are then rewound onto separate cores positioned adjacent to each other on a common shaft. The rewound strips themselves form coils of narrower width which are positioned in abutting relation on the shaft, and frequently the abutting edges of adjacent rolls overlap, forming a connection between adjacent rolls which must be broken after the rolls and cores are removed from the shaft in order to separate the rolls.
One method of separating such rolls is to roll the joined rolls over a wedge such that an end roll is suspended slightly above the floor. A worker then inserts a pry bar into the center of the raised roll and exerts a downward force to split or separate that roll from an adjacent roll.
Another device for splitting rolls is disclosed in Crosby U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,683. That patent discloses a portable paper roll breaking machine which includes a lever and fulcrum mounted on a wheeled platform. One end of the lever is inserted into the center of a roll, and a spring-loaded ram urges an opposite end downwardly. The resultant upward force on the lever end within the roll urges that roll slightly upwardly, thereby separating it from its neighbor.
A disadvantage with such a device is that the amount of separating force which can be exerted by the lever is directly proportional to the size of the center opening of the roll to be separated; a relatively small diameter center opening would severely limit the size of the lever to be inserted therein. Another disadvantage is that the rapid movement of the lever arm, caused by the spring-loaded ram, presents a hazard to workers operating the device.
Accordingly, there is a need for a roll splitter which can exert a relatively high level splitting force and is not limited by the size of the opening in the roll center. There is also a need for a roll splitter which does not necessarily require a rapid-moving lever arm or the like which may present a hazard to an operator.